


Diamond's Universe

by Yellow_Topaz (ObakeAri)



Series: To Be a Quartz [2]
Category: Steven Universe (Cartoon)
Genre: Constant Kasper, Diamond - Freeform, Domestic Fluff, F/F, Family, Fluff, Growing Up, Jasper's Mom adventures continue, Jasperdemption, Post-Canon, Rating will go up, Sequel, Tags to be added, domestic life, jade - Freeform, just all the Kasper, kathy - Freeform, onyx - Freeform, opal - Freeform, post-redemption, she's a really good mom guys
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-04-06
Updated: 2017-04-07
Packaged: 2018-10-15 06:36:13
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 5,092
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10551722
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ObakeAri/pseuds/Yellow_Topaz
Summary: With the addition of twin girls, Jasper's life, and her family, couldn't have been any more perfect. There was no greater purpose in her life than motherhood, and no greater honor either.But motherhood, like with any purpose, comes with its own set of trials and tribulations. Thankfully, she has Kathy and the Crystal Gems at her side to help her through the journey. Not to mention, she has a diamond under her protection, and stars knows that that kid will do anything for their family.





	1. Jade and Opal

**Author's Note:**

> Oh shit whuddup. 
> 
> And welcome! If you're new to this fun little story, I should warn you that this fic is a sequel to My Diamond, so I'd strongly suggest reading that before proceeding. ^__^
> 
> If you're returning, WELCOME BACK FAM! I hope the wait hasn't been too long!! <3
> 
> (Who am I kidding it's only been a couple days...I mean it's not like this has been a chapter that I've been waiting to write for over a month now I mean what)
> 
> I'M SO EXCITED!! 
> 
> Also, it should be noted that I don't have many tags on here just yet because I don't know how to put in tags without spoiling everything. So I hinted one little spoiler if anyone can find it and I'm leaving it at that. As I add chapters, I'll update things. And as events play out the chances of the rating in this fic going up are....pretty high right now huehuehuehuehue~~ 
> 
> (T-minus hopefully only one more chapter until Kathy comes back for goody good. But who's counting)
> 
> (Also also I'm struggling to come up with as genius of a naming scheme for chapters as I did My Diamond so expect me to be playing around with the first chapter's title a LOT until I'm happy with it)

When Jasper first met Diamond, she had thought that they were the tiniest human to ever exist. But that assumption was shattered when she met Onyx who was definitely the tiniest human to ever exist.

And yet she had even been wrong then too.

Jasper stared down at the two little girls nestled in her arms against her chest in awe; they were by  _ far _ the tiniest humans that the gem had ever seen.

They came into the world early in the morning, just as dawn was breaking. Steven had taken Diamond and Onyx home at around dinner time the day before; hospitals always made Onyx anxious and it became apparent early on in Becca’s labor that it would be a while before the twins were born anyway and the kids needed their sleep, which eased Jasper’s mind as she stayed in the delivery room with the girl and her mom, holding Becca’s hand as she watched in wonder as Jade was born.

Jade came in kicking and screaming, her cheeks bright red as the nurse held her. Opal was a little more sedentary and was taken by the doctor’s to a nearby table to check her oxygen levels. And all the while, Jasper watched as the physicians cheered, congratulating Becca for her hard work and Jasper for the newest additions to her family. The gem stepped away from Becca to give her time with her own parents as she followed a nurse to the examination table.

“The girls are looking good,” one nurse smiled attaching a wrist band with identifying information on Jade’s wrist as another nurse cut her umbilical cord. “Strong and healthy!”

Jasper nodded numbly, looking over to find Opal erupting into screams, stretching her little legs out as the nurses cleaned her. The first nurse that spoke to her lifted Jade up and said, “Would you like to hold her?”

“I--,” Jasper was stunned. “Does she need one of those blankets?”

“If you want,” the nurse said, “But skin-to-skin contact for a few minutes shortly after birth is good to facilitate bonding.”

Jasper fought to keep her composure as she shrugged her jacket off to leave only her tank top. She held her arms out as the nurse placed Jade carefully against her chest. She could’ve held the baby in just the palm of her hand, and as she felt Jade squirming against her, slowly settling down against the warmth of Jasper’s body, the mom broke down into tears on the spot. Once Opal was cleaned off, the nurse that had been tending to her brought the second baby over and traded with Jasper so she could wrap Jade in a bundle of blankets to transport her to the nursery.

As Jasper stared down at Opal, she sat down and gave up on trying not to cry. She wiped her eyes with her free arm furiously, trying to see through the tears as she pulled her phone out to update Kathy.

The poor woman had been staying up with Jasper the whole while, even though she couldn’t be there in person. Jasper had been able to step outside of the delivery room to text or call her with updates in between contractions, but the last hour of the labor had been the longest stretch yet and Jasper wasn’t surprised to see several worried texts asking if everything was okay.

“They’re here!” was all Jasper was able to send.

After a few minutes, Opal was taken away as well, giving Jasper some time to compose herself before she returned to the waiting room where Pearl, Amethyst, Garnet, and Sheena were all waiting anxiously.

“Well?” Pearl asked apprehensively, trying not to startle the sleeping Sheena leaning against her shoulder.

“They’re here,” Jasper said quietly, only because her voice would’ve broken if she had spoken any louder.

Amethyst cheered, launching out of her seat to hug Jasper tightly. And after several pats on the back Jasper took her and Garnet to see the girls in the nursery while Pearl tried to wake Sheena up. They left shortly after, leaving Jasper alone to her girls and her thoughts. Both of them started fussing profusely and a nurse came out to invite Jasper to sit in a private room where there was a large recliner she could sit in. The twins were brought in and placed in her arms, and Jasper watched in awe as they settled down against the her body.

And that is how she stayed until she lost all track of time, because she was so focused on memorizing the precious little faces of her daughters. She ran a thumb over Opal’s cheek, getting choked up as the little girl instinctively smiled in response to her touch.

Stars, they were so small.

And they looked nearly identical, and for a moment Jasper felt a pang of fear as she wondered what the odds were that she might mix the two up.

Naturally, that fear led into Jasper not realizing how much time had passed with her focusing on every detail, every difference between the infants’ features until the doctor knocked on the door asking if everything was okay.

“Oh!” Jasper jumped a little in the recliner, stirring Jade slightly. “Sorry.”

“No, no, take all the time you want,” the doctor smiled kindly. “I’m just here to check their breathing and make sure you all are doing okay.”

“Yeah,” Jasper smiled, shifting as the doctor placed the stethoscope on Opal and listened to her heart and lungs, “We’re great.”

“Looks like it,” the doctor chuckled. “We’ll want to keep them in the hospital for a couple of days just to make sure everything checks out since they are a few weeks early. Nothing major, this is all standard. But you’re free to stay as long as you like, if you want to go home, you can take them back to the nursery and someone will take them off your hands, otherwise someone will be back in an hour to check on you all.”

“Sounds good,” Jasper nodded. “And will I know when exactly they get to come home?”

“Yes, we’ll have them under observation for the next several hours and give you more information when you come back later tonight. But they are really healthy, if you wanted to bring your other two with you they are more than welcome to hold and meet their sisters.”

“Okay, thank you,” Jasper grinned, glancing back down at the little girls as the doctor stepped out of the room. Sighing in contentment, Jasper glanced at her phone sitting on the table beside her. She tried to recline her chair enough so that Jade and Opal could lay securely on her chest, then Jasper unlocked her phone and decided to see if Kathy was up as she tried video calling.

The woman almost immediately answered and stars she looked exhausted. Her hair was tied up in a messy knot and she was very clearly wearing an oversized flannel that looked eerily similar like the one Jasper had thought gone missing from her closet months ago.

“Hey, Mama,” Kathy greeted excitedly with misty eyes, “How are my three favorite girls?”

“We’re good,” Jasper chuckled, balancing the phone in her hand so Kathy could see the twins. “Amazing.”

“Move the phone closer, I can’t see them really well,” Kathy instructed and Jasper did her best to adjust the camera despite the fact that both babies were lying with their faces tucked snugly against Jasper and facing away from the camera. Using her free hand, Jasper brushed her finger against Jade, trying to coax her to turn her head a little bit. The sweet little thing complied and even gave a yawn, resulting in Kathy letting out a blubber as she covered her mouth and tears fell out of her eyes. “Oh my gosh, she’s beautiful!”

“Isn’t she?” Jasper grinned, feeling tears well up in her eyes as Opal wriggled slightly, also turning her head to face Kathy.

“Oh my gosh they look exactly alike,” Kathy guffawed. “Which one’s which?”

“Well, this one here is Jade,” Jasper said rubbing the back of the baby’s head. “And the little dancer over here is Opal.”

“How are we going to tell them apart?” Kathy asked, her nose crinkling in the cutest of ways.

“Well, I’ve been sitting here just trying to memorize the differences between them,” Jasper explained. “but the nurse gave me some pamphlets with tips on how to keep track of who is who until they start developing a little more.”

“How have you been memorizing the differences?” Kathy looked curious. “They look  _ identical _ .”

“Not completely,” Jasper shrugged, “The bridge of Opal’s nose is a little narrower and Jade’s cheeks are a little chubbier.”

“Really?” Kathy squinted at her computer screen, “I can’t tell.”

“Well, you are looking at them from a different angle,” Jasper noted. “I’ll try to show you when they’re a little more awake.”

“I think you might just be a magician, honestly,” Kathy teased. “But alright.”

Jasper smiled at Kathy and they were silent for a few moments, both just staring down at the infants in Jasper’s arms. To her surprise, the gem broke the silence by choking on her own sobs.

“Jasper?” Kathy asked.

“Sorry,” Jasper whimpered. “I’m just…I never knew I could be this happy. I mean, just look at them! They’re beautiful. And Diamond…and Onyx and…Kathy I just love our family so much.”

Kathy let out a few sniffles as she disguised her own sobs with laughter. “Ohhhh goodness, Jasper. I love you so much.”

“I couldn’t do this without you,” Jasper heaved. “You made me a mom!”

“I did no such thing!” Kathy whimpered back, wiping her eyes with the sleeves of Jasper’s flannel (that  _ had _ to be her flannel).

“Yes you did!” Jasper protested, trying to keep her voice down to keep from disrupting the twins’ sleep. “Don’t tell me that you didn’t change my life for the better, Miss ‘I’m-Looking-for-the-Orange-One’!”

Kathy snorted, covering her red cheeks with her hands. “Is that what I said?”

“Yes!” Jasper teased. “You literally burst into the temple with no introduction and practically dragged me to your house kicking and screaming!”

Kathy let out a cackle but swiftly covering her mouth to try to keep quiet. “Good Lord, I nearly forgot about that. I’m sorry for being an ass to you then but thank God I did that.”

“And thank every star in the universe too,” Jasper agreed. When the nurse came in a while later, Jasper bid Kathy her goodbyes and she reluctantly decided that it was probably time to head to the temple and check on Onyx and Diamond. 

The two were still asleep, huddled up next to each other in Steven’s bed when she came through the front door, and it suddenly occurred to the quartz how tired she was too. Steven was up and moving, getting started on breakfast for himself and the kids, so Jasper gave the young man a pat on the shoulder before she tiptoed up the stairs and knelt down beside the bed. 

“Hey,” Jasper said in a soft voice, running a hand through Diamond’s hair. The child groaned and tucked their head into the blanket. Jasper chuckled to herself, poking Diamond’s forehead before moving her hand to ruffle Onyx’s hair. The toddler immediately fluttered his eyes open and looked up at his mom in wonder.

“Sissies?” He asked sleepily, holding his hands out for Jasper to take him into her arms. 

“Yeah,” Jasper grinned, lifting the boy out of his sibling’s arms and into her own. “Your sisters are here.”

“Where!?” Onyx cheered excitedly, waking up a little more and climbing onto Jasper’s shoulder to look around. 

Chuckling at her son, Jasper explained, “They’re still at the hospital, Little Man. The doctors have to make sure that they’re okay to come home. But you’ll get to hold them later.”

Onyx gasped in delight and the movement mixed between the conversation finally led to Diamond waking up, blinking their eyes carefully as they sat up. “They’re here?”

“Yeah, they were born a couple hours ago,” Jasper couldn’t contain her joy, especially as she watched Diamond light up and launch themselves into Jasper’s arm, hugging her neck tightly. 

“I have  _ sisters _ !”

“You sure do!” Jasper hugged Diamond tightly, mindful of the fact that Onyx was climbing along her arms like a monkey. “And you’ll get to hold them both tomorrow too!”

“Yessss,” Diamond wiggled excitedly. “I love you, Mom.”

“I love you too, Kiddo,” Jasper squeezed Diamond tightly before she had to reach up to pluck Onyx off of her shoulder. “And I love you too, you little wiggle monster!” 

Onyx giggled wildly as he danced a little in Jasper’s grasp before he reached out to hug Diamond, catching the teen off guard but causing their face to light up nonetheless. Looking up at Jasper, he said, “Our family’s the best!” 

“Yeah,” Jasper ruffled the boy’s hair, “It sure is.”


	2. Diamond's Gift

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The twins come home and the family is greeted with a warm surprise.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter 2 oh BOY!!

Diamond was speechless as they stared down at their baby sister, Jade. She had stirred when Mom placed her in their arms, opening her eyes to reveal the brightest baby blue eyes they had ever seen. The doctor had said that there was a possibility for the twins’ eyes to change color over the next few weeks, but that didn’t matter to Diamond. What mattered was that Jade had the most sparkly eyes they had ever seen and the younger of the twins, Opal had the softest, kindest, color of gray-blue eyes. What was even more amazing was how subtle the difference was, for Diamond hadn’t even noticed it until Mom pointed it out. 

“Okay, Onyx, I’m going to put Opal in your arms now, just balance her on your lap,” Mom instructed Diamond’s little brother. He stared intently at the baby being cradled mostly in Mom’s hand. Mom sat down on the cot next to Onyx and eased Opal into his arms. Onyx leaned back in surprise, but Mom soothed him and guided his arm to support her head. “That’s it.”

“Awwww,” Diamond grinned, “You’re doing it, Onyx!” 

Behind them, they heard the clicking noise of the disposable camera as Pearl took a picture. Apparently, she had taken it upon herself to document the afternoon and brought a Pearl Pouch full of cameras. It had been a half hour and she was already on her second one.

Mom lifted her head in surprise, glancing at Pearl who shrugged. “I can’t help myself.”

Chuckling, Mom shook her head and said, “I’m sure Kathy will love you for it.”

Flipping her hair in delight, Pearl ran her thumb along the nob at the top of the camera to reset the film. 

Diamond giggled and looked over at their brother who was staring at Opal with wide, wet eyes. 

“Onyx?” they asked. The boy responded with a quivering lip and suddenly Onyx broke out into hysterical wails. 

Mom jumped, turning her head and leaning towards Onyx with a worried gaze as she put a hand on him and looked him over. “Onyx, what’s wrong?”

Onyx couldn’t speak, her just kept sobbing and hiccuping as he cupped a hand around Opal’s sleeping face. Diamond couldn’t help but note how startling the lack in size difference Onyx was from Opal. The two were exactly the sizes they needed to be for the ages they were, and yet Diamond was so used to seeing Mom’s large frame carrying the small toddler and now the even smaller newborns, that watching Onyx have to hold Opal on his lap and even just staring down at how much larger Jade seemed against their own frame made Diamond have to bite back an ill-timed laugh. 

“She’s just--” Onyx whimpered, puddles of tears falling out of his eyes as he let out a guttural sob, “She’s really cuuuuuute.”

“Ohhh, Onyx,” Mom fought really hard to disguise her own laughter as she ran a hand through the boy’s hair. “Do you want me to take her?”

“Noooo!” Onyx bellowed as he tucked his head down to rest his cheek against Opal’s forehead while he continued to sob, “I just-I just l-love my sissies a looooooot!”

Onyx coughed a few times and sniffled, unable to gain his composure. It was as if the longer he held Opal, the more he dissolved into a puddle of tears. Eventually, Mom finally was able to coax Opal out of his grasp and scooped him up with her other arm, holding both children to her chest so Onyx was still close to his little sister. Mom kissed the side of Onyx’s head, hushing him while he calmed down. Out of curiosity, Onyx reached a hand forward to poke at where Opal’s tiny hands poked out of the baby blanket. Diamond watched as Opal blinked several times in confusion but slowly grasped her fingers around Onyx’s hand and the toddler burst out into sobs all over again and gushed about how much he loved her.

Mom couldn’t keep from cackling at the spectacle so Diamond let their own giggle escape as they glanced down at Jade who was staring blankly up at them. 

“I think our brother’s a mess,” Diamond explained, laughing too hard to be more intelligible. 

The twins were able to come home the very next day and Diamond was relieved that the wait wasn’t nearly as agonizing as the one for Onyx, and the drive home left Diamond captivated by the warm smile that hadn’t left Mom’s face in days.

“What?” she asked, catching them staring.

“You just...look really happy,” Diamond grinned.

“I guess I am,” Mom nodded, sighing in content. “I’m always happy when I’m with my kids.”

“Yeah but you look extra happy,” Diamond noted, bouncing slightly in their seat.

“Do I?” Mom asked. With a nod from Diamond she glanced up in the rearview mirror. “Huh. I dunno. I guess...this all just feels so right. Like our family’s complete now, you know?”

“Yeah,” Diamond nodded. “It’s like the family I’ve always dreamed of.”

If it was possible for Mom to smile even more, she did as she reached out to grab hold of Diamond’s hand, pulling it to her lips as she blew a raspberry on the back of it to elicit a set of wild giggles from her eldest. 

When they got home, Diamond helped Mom by supporting Onyx as he clambered out of the van and held his hand and kept the door propped open while Mom carried the twins into the house. Diamond crouched down to untie Onyx’s shoes once they were all inside and Mom flipped on the light switch, only to jump as Sheena and Pearl screamed, “SURPRISE!” 

Diamond only realized that they had screamed in surprise when one of the twins broke out crying and they couldn’t tell which one.

“Ohhh, Opal, sweetie it’s okay!” Mom cooed, plucking the baby from the baby-carrier and holding her close. She almost immediately calmed down and Diamond couldn’t help but wonder how the heck Mom could tell them apart.

Glancing back up at the couple, Mom asked, “What are you two doing here?”

“We wanted to surprise you!” Pearl cheered, pirouetting. 

“Since you’ve never experienced a baby shower and Diamond’s birthday is next week we wanted to put on a little something,” Sheena elaborated.

Diamond perked up at the mention of their birthday and noted the wrapped boxes standing behind the gem and the woman as Mom laughed, “Aww, that’s really nice of you guys!” 

Pearl and Sheena gushed over the new babies while they tried to usher the family to the living room where a cake that said “Happy 13th birthday!” written on it was waiting on the coffee table. Diamond’s eyes widened and they hopped down on the couch in excitement with Onyx climbing up next to them. Mom followed behind and scratched the back of her head while Pearl placed a neatly wrapped box on Diamond’s lap.

“Happy early Birthday!” Pearl cheered. Diamond gasped excitedly, looking up at Mom for permission to open up the gift. Chuckling, Mom nodded to them.

“Agh, well, since we’re celebrating now, Diamond do you want your birthday present early or do you want to wait so you get something from me on your birthday?”

“Ummm,” Diamond glanced down at the box on their lap. “I’ll take it now. I mean, you said you were going to make me that special dinner at the temple next week anyway and I’ve been staring at that box in your closet for over a month now and still can’t figure out what you got me.”

“Oh my stars,” Mom groaned. “Alright, I’ll be right back.”

While Mom was upstairs, Diamond stared longingly at at the gift in their lap and tugged at the wrapping paper, tearing it open slightly before Sheena caught them. “Hey now! No unwrapping presents when your Mom can’t fawn over how cute you are.”

“I was just getting a head start!” they defended indignantly. 

“No unwrapping presents without me I want to feel included!” Mom trotted down the stairs with a bag in her hands, “And this one’s for last because I’m needy!”

“Okay, okay,” Diamond sighed, “Can I open it now?”

“Yeah, go ahead,” Mom grinned, sitting down beside them as Pearl handed Jade over to her before lifting Opal into her own arms. Diamond excitedly tore the box open and opened it, lighting up as they pulled the gift out from inside. 

“I got the beanies,” Sheena flipped her pink hair to the side.

“And Garnet helped me find the right set of knuckle blades!” Pearl announced in a sing-songy voice.

“They’re pink!” Diamond’s eyes lit up as they pulled the weapons out to inspect them with one hand while they tried to put on the galaxy-patterned beanie using the other. “And space!”

“Okay so we also went to the store and got a lot of standard baby supplies, but there’s one gift that I just really want you to open, Jasper,” Pearl said, bouncing Opal slightly as she started fussing. 

“Or rather, Pearl just wants to show it to you because she’s really proud of herself so she’ll probably wind up opening it,” Sheena rolled her eyes. 

“N-no!” Pearl blushed furiously. “Well...maybe.”

“Alright, alright,” Jasper laughed at the gem, reaching a hand out to take Opal so Pearl could flaunt  properly. 

“Sooo, you know how Sheena bought me a knitting class for our anniversary?” Pearl was already squealing as she held a bag behind her as if her small frame could disguise the gift. “Well, I decided to put what I learned towards something special for the girls!”

“Oh boy,” Mom grinned. 

“She’s really proud of herself,” Sheena grinned. 

“I am!” Pearl cheered. “Okay, Jasper, Diamond, Onyx, you three close your eyes!”

“Why do Onyx and I have to?” Diamond asked inquisitively.

“Just humor her, Di,” Mom nudged Diamond playfully. Sighing, Diamond closed their eyes and placed their hands in front of Onyx’s. 

The little boy squirmed in their grasp but it wasn’t long before Pearl announced, “Okay! You can open!”

Opening their eyes and lifting their hands from Onyx, Diamond was confused at first because they didn’t see the tiny little hats that Pearl had placed on the girls’ heads.  But when they did, Diamond practically leapt in their seat with excitement and sat up on their knees with Onyx, staring at the tiny green hat on one head and the blue-ish purple hat on the other. 

“I made them hats!” Pearl cheered. “I did put them on the right heads, right?”

“The green one was supposed to go to Jade, right?” Mom asked, her eyes sparkling in delight. With a nod from Pearl, she smiled, “Yes, you got them right.”

“Oh good,” Pearl wiped her brow, “I couldn’t remember if I was holding Opal or not.”

“They really do look alike,” Sheena added. “It’s incredible.”

“Not so much,” Mom shrugged, her brow furrowing. “Opal’s nose is a little narrower than Jade’s. And Jade’s eyes are a little lighter.”

The couple leaned over Mom as they both stared intently at the babies before exchanging glances at each other. 

“I see no difference,” Sheena droned.

“Seriously?” Mom turned her head up slightly. “Well...hold on.” Shifting Jade slightly so she faced Pearl and Sheena more, Mom said, “Jade’s cheeks are rounder.”

“No...I don’t see it,” Pearl’s lips flattened. 

“I can!” Diamond chirped, but they had to admit that the differences were really only noticeable once Mom had pointed them out. 

“See?” Mom leaned her head towards them. “I’m telling you, they aren’t completely identical!”

“You’re a magic mom, then, Jasper,” Sheena crossed her arms. “I’m impressed.”

“Yeah, yeah, whatever,” Mom dismissed the topic as she turned to Diamond, “Now you get to open my gift!”

“Yes!” Diamond cheered, tearing into the bag that had been sitting temptingly at the table. 

“Wait, wait, before you do,” Mom started again, chuckling as Diamond let out a groan when they were halted. “I need to tell you how I got the idea.”

“Ugh, fiiiine.”

“So, you know how you’ve been... _ developing _ as of late and sometimes sports bras don’t really cut it for you anymore,” Mom started, only to cause even more excitement to well up in Diamond, “And so I did a little bit of research on safe ways for kids your age to pass as more masculine soooo...that’s where this idea came to mind!”

Motioning for Diamond to tear into the bag they pulled the tissue paper out and pulled the thick material out of it, nearly leaping out of their seat when they realized that they were holding a chest binder.

“Now you have to be careful putting it on,” Mom instructed, “And I can show you later, but if you’re going to wear it I need you to promise me that you’ll be safe. You’re still growing so we need to really make sure that isn’t too tight on you, okay?”

“Yes!” Diamond squealed before launching themselves into an awkward half hug that really only entailed burying their face into the crook of her neck since she was holding the twins and Onyx was wriggling around on the other side of them. “THANK YOU!”

“You’re welcome kiddo,” Mom planted a kiss on the side of Diamond’s head. “And happy early birthday.”

Pearl and Sheena left after dinner and once she escorted them to the door, Mom went to put the babies to bed. After tucking Onyx in, she heaved a sigh, and only then did Diamond notice how exhausted she looked.

“You okay?” Diamond asked, noting the bags under her eyes. 

“Just tired,” Mom grinned, pulling Diamond into a hug. “Do you want to try that binder on?”

“Yessss,” Diamond danced excitedly in their mother’s arms, tugging at her hand as they trotted into their room. 

“Okay, okay,” Mom said, “no you have to be really careful putting this on and taking it off, you could really hurt yourself if you aren’t careful.”

“Yeah, yeah,” Diamond dismissed. “How do I do it?”

“Hey now,” Mom glanced at Diamond sternly. She wasn’t glaring at them by any means, but the pointed gaze that poked out from behind her brow definitely halted Diamond in their place. “This is serious stuff. I want you to be able to present as however you feel most comfortable, but your safety is most important to me so if you aren’t going to take this seriously I’m not going to let you start binding, got it?”

Deflating, Diamond relented, “Yes, Mom.”

“Thank you,” Mom said, taking the binder in hand. She talked Diamond through the instructions that came with the binder and the safety precautions she had read about on the internet. Diamond fought to keep from rolling their eyes impatiently - they had heard most of this already from tumblr - but couldn’t contain their grin when Mom handed the top, already folded in half at the seam and said, “You want to try putting it on yourself?”

Snatching it out of Mom’s hand, Diamond took their shirt off and pulled the binder over their head, but it stopped suddenly at their armpits

“Um…” Diamond felt their heart stop in their chest as they tried tugging haphazardly at the material. 

It wasn’t budging.

“Oh no,” Diamond spun around, feeling their arms tire out quickly as they kept tugging and pulling at the binder in different ways, fighting hard to keep the tears from welling in their eyes in panic. 

“Calm down,” Mom said finally, noting their child’s distress. “It’s a tight fit; it’s not like a shirt, you have to put it on a little more carefully but you aren’t stuck.”

“Are you sure?” Diamond whimpered. 

“Yes, I’m sure,” Mom pressed a firm hand on their shoulder for reassurance. “Do you want help?”

“Nooo,” Diamond whined stubbornly, “I got it.”

“Okay,” Mom said, sitting back. “Just take a deep breath and try to carefully roll the bunched ends down. Take it slow.”

Listening to her, Diamond managed to shimmy into the binder more, pulling it over their chest before rolling the material that Mom had pre-folded down over their stomach. 

“I did it!” Diamond announced excitedly, twisting and turning in the snug fit. 

Mom hummed, kneeling down as she tugged gently at various sections of the binder, inspecting it, “Does it feel okay? Is it too tight?”

“It’s fine, Mom,” Diamond insisted. 

“Take a deep breath for me,” Mom instructed. Complying, Diamond did, and then they lifted their arms per her instruction, coughed per her instruction, and did everything until Mom nodded her head and handed Diamond their shirt. “Alright, look in the mirror.”

Grinning, Diamond shrugged their shirt back on and turned around, but were caught off guard by their own reflection.

“Woaaaah,” Diamond guffawed, running their hands over their flattened chest. 

“Do you like it?”

“I LOVE it!” Diamond cheered, “I look so GOOD! Oh my stars, I can wear this to school and everything!”

“You sure can,” Mom crossed her arms, grinning, “As long as you’re safe.”

“Yes, ma’am!” Diamond cheered, saluting at her. “Thank you, Mom!” 

“You’re welcome, Kiddo,” Mom grinned, ruffling their hair. “You could wear that and your new beanie to your birthday dinner if you wanted.”

Diamond smiled up at Mom deviously. Little did she know that they were going to wear galaxy everything to their birthday dinner, including the obnoxious leggings she hated. And there was nothing she could do to stop them. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I promise plot will actually happen eventually.


End file.
